Guacamole recipe: avocado, lime and coriander
Guacamole is an avocado dip that you can roughly mash with lime, onion and coriander. Our own basic version keeps the ingredient list short and makes chilli optional, so you can choose the heat. Serve with tortillas, vegetable sticks or a Tex-Mex-inspired BBQ dish. This recipe proposal has not yet been kitchen-tested by The Rub Kitchen.
Ingredients for a small bowl of guacamole
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice to start, then adjust to taste
- ¼ small red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, washed, dried and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt to start, then adjust to taste
- Optional: ¼ fresh jalapeño, very finely chopped, or less to taste
The final amount depends on the size of the avocados. We therefore do not give an exact number of servings or a guaranteed final weight. Extra tomato or garlic is not part of this basic version, but can be your own variation.
Equipment
A clean bowl, fork, knife, chopping board and spoon. You can use a mortar, but it is not necessary: a fork also lets you keep a chunky texture.
How to make guacamole: step by step
- Prepare the work area and flavourings. Wash your hands and use a clean board and clean utensils. Very finely chop the red onion and chop the washed coriander. Finely chop any jalapeño; avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands afterwards.
- Open the avocados. Carefully halve the avocados on a stable surface. Safely remove the stone and use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin into the bowl. Do not hold an avocado in your hand while applying force to the knife.
- Mash roughly. Add the lime juice and mash the flesh with a fork. Leave small pieces if you want a chunky dip. No blender is needed for this version.
- Mix and taste. Mix in the red onion, coriander and salt. Carefully add any jalapeño. Taste with a clean utensil and adjust the lime and salt in small amounts. The heat of fresh chillies varies.
- Serve or refrigerate immediately. Serve a small portion and immediately cover and refrigerate the rest at 4 °C or colder. Use a clean serving spoon and keep the dip away from raw meat and used meat tongs.
What if the guacamole is too chunky, sour or spicy?
Mash for longer for a smoother texture; do not automatically add water. Start with the stated amounts of lime juice and chilli, then adjust. A little extra avocado can change the balance if you have used too much acidity or chilli. Do not add BBQ rub just because it is a BBQ dip: none is needed for this basic recipe.
Can you leave out coriander?
Yes, if you do not want that flavour. You will then make a version without coriander. Do not automatically add the same amount of dried herbs; they have a different flavour profile.
Is tomato essential?
No, this basic version contains no tomato. If you want to add it, use a small amount of finely chopped tomato and allow for the extra moisture. The photo is a serving example and does not prove exactly which ingredients were used.
Guacamole with a BBQ menu
Serve the dip with tortillas or vegetable sticks, or as a topping on a taco or burger. Serve a spicy sauce separately so guests can choose. The green chile sauce without tomatillo is a different preparation based on roasted chillies, not a replacement for the avocado in this recipe.
For the other dishes, see What to eat at a BBQ? Menu and flavour combinations or choose another dip in the BBQ sauce encyclopedia.
For allergies, check the ingredients of the entire meal, including chips, bread and sauces. A short ingredient list does not guarantee suitability for every allergy or the absence of cross-contact.
Storing guacamole and limiting browning
Ideally make the dip shortly before serving. Immediately cover and refrigerate any remaining dip at 4 °C or colder, and preferably eat it by the following day at the latest. This is a cautious practical recommendation, not a tested shelf life for this recipe. Follow any stricter instructions on a product you use where necessary.
Avocado discolours on contact with oxygen. Covering it well limits contact with air; a little lime juice does not make the dip keep indefinitely. Browning alone does not tell you whether storage has been safe. Do not use dip with mould, an unusual smell or uncertain storage, and do not taste food to assess whether unsafe storage has made it dangerous.
Serve small portions and top up from the fridge. Discard perishable dip if it has been unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Do not put table leftovers back into the clean supply.